Page 69 of Banter & Blushes #1

ETHAN

I t’s our last official day of practice for the season.

The guys have been on edge all week, waiting to find out if we’re really moving to another state.

Elias tried to ask Jack for an update yesterday, but he shut him down, reiterating that it’s still a secret.

If he thinks Elias wouldn’t tell the rest of us, the guy’s a bigger idiot than I suspected.

But I need answers, and I’m tired of the suspense. I stop at Coach’s office before heading to my locker to change, rapping on the door frame.

Coach Markelson looks up from his desk and waves me in.

I close the door behind me. “Any updates about whether the team’s moving or not?”

He roughs a hand over his mouth, making a scratching sound. “Just hang tight. I think we’ll have an answer soon.”

“Any chance ‘soon’ means today?” I flop into the chair in front of his desk.

“Why? Got a better offer?” He eyes me, caution covering his face.

“No, I just…”

His brows lift. “The girl who wrote her number on the plexiglass?”

I nod.

“That serious already?”

I nod again.

He blows out a long breath. “Don’t get too caught up in your head about this. ”

Frowning, I lean forward. “How can I not? I don’t want to leave Sarabella.”

“I don’t either. That’s why I’m telling you not to worry about it.”

He gives me a pointed stare as if he’s trying to communicate something without putting it into words. Like there’s more to this story we don’t know yet, and he’s not at liberty to say.

A twinge of hope stirs in my gut. I nod and get to my feet. “See you at practice.”

When I reach the locker room, the guys look as somber as I feel. None of us say much as we get cleaned up. Every day has been like this since we first found out the team might move. It’s like our spirit is muted or something.

Wade chirps a whistle to grab our attention. “Fellas, let’s lose the droopy faces and have some fun today.” He smacks his hand into his catch glove with a thump, then shoves his helmet on.

Nods and mumbles of agreement fill the room as we follow suit and hit the ice. We’re about thirty minutes into practice, huddled around Coach Markelson and Jack as they explain a drill they want to implement when the new owner shows up with a stern expression.

I swear I see icicles drop from her eyes as she asks Jack to follow her inside the arena. Coach shakes his head at our confused looks and continues going over the drill, but then, muffled shouts filter down the tunnel.

When I glance at Coach, it’s like a visible weight lifts off of him, and some pieces start to fall into place. He knew something was about to go down when I confronted him in his office, and he tried to tell me as much with his vague explanations.

The next thing we know, the owner’s back, her cheeks bright red as she fiddles with the belt on her slacks. “I’m sorry you had to hear that. I’d hoped to talk to Jack in private, but he figured out what was happening before we got there.”

We’re all standing there frozen in skates as if we’re one with the ice, waiting for her to fill in the details. Is she planning to tell us where she’s moving the team, or is something bigger going on?

She and Coach exchange glances before she continues. “Jack is no longer our general manager, but we’ll fill his position as quickly as possible.”

Still nothing about the move.

“What about the team moving to another state?” I blurt out.

Rebecca shakes her head, her eyes steely again. “Jack was trying to negotiate a deal behind my back, and thus why I just fired him. I have no intention of moving the team. Sarabella is our home. We’re not going anywhere.”

You’d think we just won the Kelly Cup by the way we throw our gloves into the air and hug each other.

As we head off the ice, I stop in front of Coach Markelson. “You knew what was going on?”

He nods. “I couldn’t say anything until Rebecca had proof. That way, Jack couldn’t lash back. ”

I shake my head. “Never did trust that guy.”

“With good reason, it seems.”

When I step off the ice to go down the tunnel, he stops me. “Guess you have some good news to share with your girlfriend.”

I think this is the first time anyone has called Mia my girlfriend, including me, and I like it. A lot. “For sure. She’ll be all over this.”

“Good. Just remember?—”

“Keep my head in the game.”

He nods his approval. “You’ll have all summer to work at it.”

I grin but don’t say what I’m thinking.

That I’ll have all summer to practice with Mia.